


Girl's Walk, Girl's Talk.

by Akihaa



Category: Fatal Twelve (Visual Novel), THE iDOLM@STER
Genre: Crossover, F/F, commission, thank you for letting me indulge twas fun to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:53:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25224928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akihaa/pseuds/Akihaa
Summary: Two pairs of paths cross. Things are learned, and feelings yearn.
Relationships: Kurosaki Chitose/Shirayuki Chiyo, Mishima Miharu/Shishimai Rinka
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	Girl's Walk, Girl's Talk.

**Author's Note:**

> Commission Request by @Karma_Kannon! Thank you very much (prayer hands)

_The night is mine._

Two young women stroll down a path in the bustling city of Tokyo. As expected of a popular tourist site, the streets along the parks have some stragglers taking their time to soak in the moonlight and taking in the sights of the city. Chitose and Chiyo were no different.

“Milady.” Chiyo said.

“Hm?” Chitose hummed as she continued walking.

“It’s about time we head back. We have a meeting with...that person, tomorrow that we must be on time for.”

“Aw, already? Let’s stay out for a little while longer, hm?”

“Milady…”

“Ah—“ Chitose stops in her tracks as a cafe comes into view. She turns to her companion and points at the building, still with lights inside. “How about we take a break in that little shop? We can go back after we’re done, okay?”

“A cafe? Caffeine at this hour is…”

“Please?” Chitose puts her hands together and curves her lips into a sly smirk. Chiyo sighs.

“As you wish.”

After a little cheer from Chitose (and a subtle smile from Chiyo), the two approach the entrance of the cafe, only to be stopped by an oddly colored haired girl with a red apron.

“Oh, good evening. Closing shop, are you?”

* * *

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Miharu. I just have to take care of a few more things.” Rinka called out to the lone girl sitting next to the window.

“Don’t worry about it. I would help, but I know that’s not the way you do things around here.” Miharu joked. A chuckle escaped from Rinka’s lips. Miharu was still technically her guest, and it would be unprofessional of her to make a guest to do her work.

“I’m going outside to fetch the signboard real quick. Be right back.”

“Alright.” Miharu nods and turns back to her unfinished cup of coffee. It’s already lost a lot of its heat, but Miharu doesn’t mind savoring it until Rinka is finished with her duties. She patiently waits as the mumbling of the radio in the kitchen buzzes softly in the cafe.

The bell of the door rings behind her. Miharu puts the rim of the cup to her lips and takes a sip. The bitter yet rich flavor dances on her tongue before she swallows. She sets the cup back down.

The bell of the door doesn’t ring again.

Curious, Miharu turns to listen closer. Voices carry from the cafe entrance to her ears. In a sudden bout of anxiety, Miharu stands, her chair scraping behind her, and makes her way to the entrance.

“Sorry, I was just about to lock up.” Rinka says.

“Ah, that’s unfortunate. You wouldn’t be willing to make an exception tonight, would you? I’ll be sure to make it worth your while.” An unfamiliar voice pleads.

Miharu shows herself from behind Rinka, attracting the attention of the blonde and dark haired girl standing outside the door. Seeing that they were girls their age, and not a large, intimidating man (or any man, for that matter) quells some of the buzzing in Miharu’s head. While their ordeal has already been settled for some time, the anxiety that was fostered over its duration has not yet fully subsided within the mind.

“Ahah, so perhaps I do have a chance!” The same girl chirps at the sight of Miharu. Confused, Rinka turns around to see Miharu and connects the dots.

“Er, ah, no, actually she’s, um…” Rinka stutters as she tries to explain. She glances back and forth from one blonde to the other, looking for the words that will hopefully appear out of thin air. To say that she’s ‘a friend’ isn’t exactly a lie, nor is it the truth. To admit that she’s her girlfriend to some strangers was still a bit too much for little old Rinka to handle.

“Sorry, the Lion House is closed.” Miharu, who is now right behind Rinka, quips bluntly with a less than pleasant look on her face. For some reason, this makes the girl’s face light right up with a wide grin.

“Ohh~” She quietly murmurs. The dots connected, and then the smaller girl beside her steps forward.

“Please,” She starts. “If you could allow Milady to finish her nightly walk with a drink, I would be grateful. We will make sure you are compensated handsomely.” The girl ends with a polite bow.

Rinka, ever the kind soul, can’t say no now. She looks back at Miharu, and Miharu already knows. She’s giving her the puppy eyes that make Rinka melt.

_Sorry…_

_It’s alright. That’s part of who you are._

Sharing those thoughts without a word, Rinka holds the door open for her last two guests of the night.

“Welcome.” She greets.

“Yay~” Chitose sings a little victory tune as she waltzes into the cafe. Her entourage of one follows behind her with an exasperated smile that doesn’t go unmissed by Miharu.

Rinka picks up the signboard she had meant to take in before quickly flipping the sign on the door to Closed. After telling Miharu to go sit back down, she goes to tuck the sign away behind the counter.

“What a cozy little place.”

“Indeed. It is very well maintained as well. The owners must take pride.” Chiyo nods approvingly.

“Sorry for the wait.” Rinka returns to her guests. “I can take your order now, Misses…”

“Oh, I never introduced myself! My apologies. I’m—“

“I believe our last names shall suffice? My lady here is Kurosaki. Referring to me is not necessary, but if you must, Shirayuki will do.”

“Hey, Chi-chan! That won’t do at all! Miss Barista here was already so gracious to let us in past closing time, she at least has the right to a proper introduction.”

“But…”

Chitose ignores her protests and does a little curtsy for her host. “I’m Kurosaki Chitose. This girl here is Shirayuki Chiyo. She can be a little cold, but I’m sure your coffee will warm her right up!” She winks. Rinka blinks in response with a forced smile.

“I’m Shishimai Rinka. Rinka’s fine though.” The barista returns her half of the exchange.

“Shishimai? That’s quite a last name you’ve got there, Miss Rinka!”

“Um...Must I also have a drink, Milady…?” Chiyo interrupts the chatter with brows furrowed. She can’t do much to stop Chitose from having coffee in the middle of the night, but she herself needs proper rest to wake her up the next morning.

“Ah, that’s right…Caffeine probably isn’t the best idea for you, Chi-chan…” Chitose puts a hand to her chin.

“Oh, if it’s caffeine you’re worried about, we have decaf options available.” Rinka informs.

“That’s great! Then, Cafe au lait for me, and~~” Chitose looks toward her partner.

“...A house blend will do for me. Decaf, of course.”

Rinka nods. “Alright, that’ll be right up. Take a seat anywhere and I’ll bring it to you.” She scurries behind the counter and starts her process.

Meanwhile, Miharu gazes out the window from her usual spot. Her coffee is cold now. Were it not for their unexpected guests, she could have at least finished it while it still had some traces of warmth...but alas. She pushes the thorned thoughts aside and pulls up the ones that have been scratching in the corner of her mind since she met the faces of the two girls.

_Kurosaki Chitose and Shirayuki Chiyo._

Their faces were familiar; the fact that the names she overheard rung a distant bell surely couldn’t be a coincidence with the feeling that she’s seen them somewhere before. But where, Miharu couldn’t put her finger on.

“Pardon me~ May I take a seat here?”

Miharu turns to look at Chitose and offers her a polite, yet prickly smile. “Go ahead. Seeing that I’m also a guest, I don’t exactly have the right to say no.”

Chiyo’s brows twitch.

“You—“

“Thank you kindly, Miss…?” Chitose quickly douses Chiyo’s sparks, seeking Miharu’s name.

“Mishima is fine.”

“Right, Miss Mishima, then!” The older girl takes a seat on the outer chair across from Miharu, while Chiyo takes the seat beside her partner.

Though Miharu’s earlier remark did not sit well at all with Chiyo, she did make an internal note at her manner of speech. Chiyo did not have much of an interest in personal beauty that other idols seem to concern themselves with, but she would be remiss to not recognize Miharu’s own. Yet, the girl’s masculine form of speech betrayed her feminine beauty…

No, ‘betray’ was not quite the right word. Accompanied it, rather. Yes, an intriguing combination. It would not surprise Chiyo if she also happened to be an idol or something of the sort. She was sure that person would be scrambling to recruit someone like her, should they encounter by chance.

“Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this place before. The atmosphere is so nice. I could get used to this.” Chitose muses to Chiyo. Chiyo breaks her train of thought and responds.

“I see. I shall take note of the address, should Milady feel inclined to visit at a later date.”

The two chat on while Rinka brews her last orders for the night. She can feel the thick tension coming from the table across from her, even from behind the counter. When she said to ‘sit anywhere’, she didn’t really expect them to sit literally at the same table as her girlfriend’s.

 _It’s a weird night. Weird to say it’s not even the weirdest night I’ve had._ Her thoughts wander as the radio continues to gabber on the counter behind her.

Miharu fiddles with her empty porcelain cup as she watches Rinka work. As much as she’d like to watch her lover simply exist for the rest of her life, her gaze seems to drift to the other blonde at the table. Gears turn as she searches for the piece of the puzzle to answer where exactly she’s seen and heard of Kurosaki Chitose before.

As she looks on, Miharu realizes a piercing stare has set its sights on her as well. She shifts and meets eyes with Shirayuki Chiyo.

“Is there something the matter, Miss Mishima?” Chiyo’s question carried a sharp edge in its wake.

_Well, now that’s all too familiar in a different sense._

Miharu clocks in on Chiyo’s protectiveness over her companion and curves her lips.

“No, nothing. My apologies, I didn’t mean to stare.” She explains honestly. “It’s just that I can’t help but feel I’ve seen the two of you before.”

Silence.

Rinka, who had been quietly listening, stopped pouring the coffee. She quickly resumed after a beat. _Professional, professional_.

“Oh, is that so? I wonder where that could have been.” Chitose responds with a trill in her voice. There was definitely something she knew that Miharu didn’t.

“Sorry for the wait. Here’s your cafe au lait and house blend, Miss Kurosaki, Miss Shirayuki. Please wait for it to cool before drinking, okay?” Rinka, with perfect timing, arrives with a tray holding the orders and sets them down on the table.

“Wow, it smells amazing!”

“Yes. I can tell you know your craft well, Miss Shishimai. You have my respect.”

Rinka laughs. “Well, I’m not much compared to my Gran. She’s the one who taught me.”

“No need to be humble, Rinka. Your coffee is deserving of praise too, you know.” Miharu comments.

“T-thanks, Miharu...Still goes to say I have a lot left to learn.” Rinka still can’t help but flush when Miharu says things so bluntly.

Chitose was now _very_ interested in these two.

“Why not have a seat with us, Rinka? I’d love to chat with you as well.”

“Hm? Ah, sure.” Rinka places her tray on the table and takes the remaining seat beside Miharu. “So, what exactly brought you here at this time of night?”

“Milady has a habit of going on night walks. I tend to accompany her.” Chiyo was first to respond.

“That’s right! Nights are so peaceful. Sometimes you can’t help but feel like you got to savor them, don’t you?”

“Is that so? I wouldn’t really know. I tend to pass right out if it’s past my bedtime.” Rinka admitted.

“Aww, how cute. I bet you’re the type to hate getting up in the morning too.”

“A-ah...I guess you’re not wrong…” Rinka let out a chuckle.

Though Miharu appreciated the acknowledgement of her girlfriend’s cuteness, she still doesn’t do well with it coming from complete strangers.

“Fufu, don’t get too worked up about it. This one is the exact same way.” Chitose puts a hand on Chiyo’s back.

“M-Milady...!”

Rinka and Chitose continue chattering while Chiyo is left to recover in distressed silence.

From Chiyo’s mannerisms towards Chitose, Miharu deduced that Chiyo was some sort of maid for Chitose. But looking at Chitose’s teasing of Chiyo, it was clear that Chitose viewed the girl as much more than just a servant.

Ironic. Two very different maids sat at this table. One who serves from what appears to be duty, and the other, serves because she needs bills to be paid. Funny how that works.

“Oh~ This coffee tastes as great as it smells. Really, you’ve outdone yourself, Miss Rinka.”

Hearing Chitose’s praise, Chiyo picks up her own drink and takes a sip.

“How is it, Chi-chan?”

“...Good.” A flat response.

“Hm? If it’s not to your liking, I’m more than happy to make you something else on the house.” Rinka makes a worried smile to her guest.

“Er, no, I can tell it’s good. It’s just…” Chiyo’s eyes flick away.

“Ah! I see! Ahahah!” Chitose lets out a loud laugh. Rinka and Miharu share a look. “Sorry, sorry, I just realized you’ve already put the sugar away since you were closing up. Chi-chan isn’t great with bitter things, you see.”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to worry yourself over something so small.”

Rinka glances at the inner end of the table and notices an important coffee companion missing. She puts a hand to her head. “Oh! I’m so sorry, it totally slipped my mind! I’ll go g—“

“Wait,” Miharu puts a hand on her shoulder. “Sit down, Rinka. I’ll go get some for our guests. You’ve already worked enough tonight. I need to go put my cup away, anyways.”

“O-oh, okay then. Thanks, Miharu.”

Miharu answers with a smile and takes away her empty cup to the kitchen. Her eyes briefly meet with Chiyo’s, and the dutiful maid offers her a grateful bow of her head. Miharu makes her way to the sink and turns on the faucet before removing her gloves.

As she rinses out the cup, Miharu picks on the conversation being played out by the radio.

_“And now, an exclusive interview with the idol that’s been stealing everyone’s hearts…!”_

Then it clicks.

Miharu finishes drying off the dishes, making sure she dries her hands off well before putting her gloves back on. After returning the cup and saucer to its usual place, Miharu picks up a container of sugar cubes nearby and returns to the table. The first thing she notices is Rinka’s beet red face and a satisfied grin on Chitose’s.

“...Is everything fine?” She asks.

“Y-yep! All good!” Rinka sputters and gives an awkward thumbs up. All four girls knew that she might as well be saying it wasn’t, but Miharu lets it slide and takes a mental note to ask Rinka about it later. She offers the container of sugar cubes to Chiyo, who accepts it with two hands.

“You have my gratitude.” As Miharu’s white gloves overlap with Chiyo’s own black ones, Chiyo notes something strange. Chiyo, who often cooks for her lady, makes sure she removes her gloves when contacting water, and typically doesn’t put them back on until a few minutes later when the moisture from her hands have dried. However, Miharu seems to have put them on immediately after. As Chiyo’s hands linger on the container, she lifts her eyes to meet Miharu’s. Miharu, noticing the hesitation, gives a questioning tilt of her head.

“Something wrong?”

“...No. Nothing.”

Perhaps she, too, has something to hide from unwelcome eyes. Chiyo takes the container and sets it on the table. When she opens it to pick up a sugar cube, Miharu speaks.

“Velvet Rose.”

The two guests pause at hearing the very familiar title.

“Velvet Rose? What’s that, Miharu?” Rinka asks.

“An idol unit.” She answers. “These two happen to be the members.”

“Oh! You figured it out!” Chitose chimes. “Well, well, seems like the cat’s out of the bag. That’s us, idol unit of two: Velvet Rose, at your service.” She nods. “Now what gave it away, Miss Mishima?”

“I’ve seen your debut video playing in Akihabara. My job also requires me to keep up to date on pop culture things as well.” She explains.

“Job? Does that mean you’re involved in the idol industry as well, Miss Mishima?”

“Thankfully, no.” Miharu’s nose wrinkles at the thought of having to sing and dance for a crowd of strangers she has never met once in her life. “My work is closely related to it, however. A number of my coworkers tend to enter the industry after a while.”

“Aw, and here I was sure you’d make a great new addition to the crew. You sure have got the looks!” Chitose mused.

“She looks like one, doesn’t she? But no matter what, I just can’t see Miharu out of all people becoming an idol willingly…” Rinka glances at her partner with a concerned grin. Though others might have seen it as an insult, Miharu and Rinka knew the real meaning. “Well, actually, seeing the way some of Miharu’s customer base act like in front of her sometimes–”

“Let’s stop there before we go any further, shall we, dear?” Miharu’s eyes narrow as her lips curve.

“If it’s personality you’re concerned with, you would be surprised.” Chiyo says with unexpected initiative. A rare ghost of a smile plays at her lips. “I’m sure that after speaking with someone like myself, you would not have guessed I would have an occupation such as an idol. There are also others who...would not seem the part either.” Her face falls and her gaze drifts. As a certain pink haired fellow colleague appears in her mind, she believes she is putting that statement lightly.

“Well, each idol has a fanbase for a reason, I suppose. I just prefer I had none at all.”

“I believe we can see eye to eye on that part, Miss Mishima.” Chiyo responds. Rinka and Chitose share a look. The stifling tension between their partners seems to have evaporated, albeit slightly.

Chitose finishes the last swig of her coffee and sets it down on the saucer with a clink. “Well, thank you very kindly for allowing us to stay and have a chat. I’ll tuck away your compensation here–” She folds a bill delicately and presses it underneath the saucer. “Keep the change. I hope it’ll be enough to cover the trouble we’ve caused you tonight. Rinka follows up with a small bow in her chair. “Chi-chan, darling, be a dear and ring up the sorcerer, will you? It would be quickest if we had them fetch us.”

Chiyo’s lips move as if to almost click her tongue, but she quickly fixes it back to her stoic expression. “...As you wish, Milady.” The maid politely stands, giving a swift bow before pulling her phone from her pocket and marching away to make the call. She comes back shortly enough and returns to her seat, though her lips seem pressed into more of a thin line than usual.

“They’ll be here shortly, Milady.”

“Excellent!” Chitose nods. “Ah, but before we fly away, I did find it a bit curious…”

Chitose reaches out a hand to Rinka.

Miharu’s instincts cause her to nearly jump out of her chair, immediately followed by Chiyo’s own protective instincts.

“Oops.” Chitose stays her hand upon hearing the chairs scrape harshly against the wood floor. “May I, Miss Rinka?” She politely requests with a gesture of her hand.

“A-ah...my hair, is it? Sure, I don’t mind.” Rinka replies. Miharu and Chiyo slowly return to their chairs.

Yep. A weird night indeed. The barista internally sighs with her heart still pounding from the thick tension created in that split second.

Chitose gently brushes a few fingers on the blonde parts of Rinka’s bangs while Miharu watches with the eyes of a hawk. Chiyo likewise watches Miharu.

“I see. How interesting.” Chitose hums and retracts her hand after having her fill of touching Rinka’s bangs.

“Surprised it’s not dye?” Rinka jokes.

“No, not at all. I had my suspicions when I first saw your cute little face, but never would have guessed I’d see someone with poliosis here on this unassuming night, and with a young girl, no less.”

“Poliosis…?”

“...Hm? You don’t know? It’s a condition that causes your hair to lose its color in certain areas. Is it not? I suppose yours seems to be a bit of a special case...”

“Really?” Rinka tilts her head. “I never even knew that was a thing...I’d just chalked it up to it being from my great grandmother. She...was English, apparently.”

“This is the first I've heard of it as well.” Miharu adds.

“Oh? What a coincidence! I happen to be quarter blood myself. But then, does your mother have something similar?”

Rinka shifts. “Er…”

Chitose catches on and quickly amends herself. “...Ah, my apologies. A relative you know?”

“Hmm... well, my Gran’s hair has already whitened out, so I can’t really tell if she has the same thing as I do…”

“I see…well, either way, you’ve got a unique case on your hands, Miss Rinka. Or should I say, your head! Fufu~”

All three other girls wince.

The sound of a phone buzzing cuts the brief silence, and Chiyo moves to retrieve her cell.

“Milady, they’ve arrived.”

“Oh, that was certainly quick of them. Too bad, I’d have loved to stay and chat a bit more, though.” Chitose sighs.

“If you wish, we may return at a later date. But for now, we have an important meeting tomorrow morning, so we must be on our way soon.”

“I know, I know.” The blonde’s lips curl into a resigned smile. “Well then, Miss Rinka, Miss Mishima. It was a pleasure meeting the both of you.” The two unexpected guests stand, and Rinka gets up from her chair. Miharu stays seated.

“Likewise. I wasn’t expecting such...interesting guests at this time of night. Let me see you two off.” Rinka moves to escort her last customers to the exit, and Miharu finally stands to follow. Four sets of footsteps tap against the wooden floor of the cafe, and then the doorbell rings.

“Take care, now.” Rinka gives a little wave. Chitose and Chiyo turn as they exit the cafe to return the gesture—Chitose giving a curtsy while Chiyo bows deep.

“You too, Miss Rinka. I look forward to the next time we meet.”

“I will ensure the next time will be during your hours. You have my gratitude for accepting Milady and I at this time of night.”

“Well now, we’ll be off! Have a lovely rest of the night, you two.” Chitose’s eyes go past Rinka’s head and winks. The taller girl looming behind Rinka blinks, and a very, very confused smile returns the act. Chitose giggles, then turns on her heels, leaving just as fleetingly as she arrived, along with her entourage of one. As the two disappear down the road, Rinka turns and looks up at Miharu.

“What...in the world was that just now?” She asks.

“I’d rather not think about it.” Miharu responds bluntly. Rinka leaves it at that.

She closes the door and locks it with a click before returning inside the cafe to clean up. She picks up her tray, then pulls out the bill that was tucked underneath Chitose’s cup. A hand flies up to her mouth to stifle the loud gasp that was about to escape.

“You’re kidding.”

“What’s wrong?” Miharu approaches Rinka from behind and looks over her shoulder.

“She gave me a 10,000 yen bill...T-that has to be a mistake, right?” Rinka’s voice shakes as she frantically looks from the bill in her hands to Miharu, as if wondering if she hasn’t gone crazy and is just hallucinating the exorbitant amount of money she’s just received from making two cups of coffee.

“From the little time we got to know those two, that girl hardly seems to be the type to do something like that on mistake.” Miharu says. “Besides, as rare as it is, even I sometimes get the occasional customer who has more money on their hands than they know what to do with. It happens.” Rinka is still staring at the bill and short circuiting. Miharu giggles and puts a hand on Rinka’s shoulder, which seems to calm her down a little. “Though, the first time it did happen, I was just as shocked as you are now. With my line of work, I’d assumed they wanted something else…”

“Huh?” Rinka snaps her focus away from the money and towards Miharu.

“D-Don’t worry, it turned out they were just being generous. They didn’t seem to have any ill intentions, so I wasn’t exactly inclined to insist on saying no.” She assured.

“Oh.” Rinka’s shoulders relax.

“Keep it, Rinka. You can save it for something nice later.”

“That’s true…” Something nice, huh? Rinka’s mind drifts off. She’d been wondering if there was anything more she could do for Miharu as a girlfriend, but all she really has for reference are trashy shoujo manga that Mao lends to her. The main couple always ends up getting matching accessories for their school bag, or something. Jewelry seems a bit over the top...A nice dinner, maybe? Would that be too sappy?

“By the way, Rinka, I just remembered to ask, but…” Miharu snaps her out of her trance.

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Earlier, you were making a very cute face when I was putting my cup away. Just what did that girl say to you, exactly?”

Rinka nearly drops her tray on the floor. “Eh!? Um, well, it’s a bit...er…” She sputters over herself and her face flushes as red as her apron again. Miharu keeps her hand on her shoulder, not backing down this time. “S-she was asking if...we were...uh, y’know…” Her voice trails off and a hand rubs at the back of her neck.

“...Oh.” That would explain the wink earlier.

“I mean, I never said anything back, and I guess she was sort of implying it, but I guess my reaction gave it away…?”

Miharu smirks, but the laugh she was trying to hold back leaks out. A lyrical bout of laughter ends up taking hold of her, and Rinka’s brows furrow. She’s not sure how to feel, knowing Miharu was laughing at her expression right now, but hearing Miharu’s genuine laugh is something she wishes she could secretly record for herself.

“That’s right, my Rinka is too honest for her own good, after all.” Miharu pulls Rinka in close, her shoulders still shaking with the remains of laughter. “Sorry, I know you hate being teased, but you’re too cute when you’re blushing like that!”

“Arrgh, Miharu…!!” Rinka whines and buries her face into her hands. If she could be teased any more and right up against Miharu’s soft body, no less, she was sure she’d explode.

“Come on, I’ll help you clean up. We’ve delayed our plans for tonight far too long.” Miharu releases Rinka and swiftly retrieves the empty cups on the table. Rinka watches as she brings them over into the kitchen, and despite her earlier frustrations, a smile reaches her lips when she notices the small hops within her steps. Though Miharu is mature for far beyond her age, she can act like such a school girl in times like these. Rinka pulls the tray to her chest, and silently gives a small ‘Thank you’ to whatever higher power that exists, and to her. A “Thank you” for the miracle that they’re alive to experience this seemingly arbitrary happiness.

Surely, surely, there’s still more to come in their long lives ahead of them.

* * *

“Oh, there you guys are. I was about to come fetch you myself.” A familiar face greets the two idols as they approach a black car out on the street.

“There was no need. We can escort ourselves perfectly fine.” Chiyo bites back. Their producer, already used to the cold treatment, paid the words no mind and made their way to open the car door. As their hand reaches for the handle, a gloved one grabs it first and pops it open. The producer laughs wryly and retracts their hand.

“Thank you, Chi-chan. Sorcerer too.” As Chitose ducks her head to enter the car, Chiyo bows wordlessly. So called Sorcerer nods as Chiyo enters after her, who doesn’t bother to so much as look at them. Still, they close the door after her before walking back around the car to the driver’s seat.

“Milady, is there anything in particular you would like to have for breakfast tomorrow?” Chiyo asks with phone in hand to take note. The producer closes their door and reaches for their seat belt.

“Ah, you know I’ll eat anything you make, Chi-chan.”

Chiyo sighs. “I’m aware of that, but it doesn’t quite make things easier to decide on what to cook…” She pouts. The car sets into motion.

“Fufu~ Then, just the usual is fine.”

“Understood.”

Chitose watches quietly as Chiyo punches some things into her phone, presumably what’s in her calendar. The maid blinks and moves a hand to rub at her eyes before returning to her cell. Chitose notes her illuminated profile in the darkness of the car, and how the moonlight speckles along her neck and hair, which has grown out slightly. Chiyo feels her lingering gaze and looks away from her phone.

“Is there something the matter, Milady?” She asks, eyes full of innocence.

“Nope, nothing at all.” Chitose answers, then turns away.

Chiyo knows. Her lady is not one to be honest with her feelings. As she studies her back, Chiyo wonders for how long this will last. How long will Chiyo be afraid of crossing the line that separates her as a servant, and herself as Shirayuki Chiyo. Tonight, Chiyo remains standing just before that boundary, and returns to her phone.

As the car hums along the road, Chitose peers out the window, watching the face of the moon follow them as she rests her head on her hand. She closes her eyes and sighs whimsically while the passing streetlights flash dimly from beyond her lids.

“Lion House, huh…?”

How nice. Running a cafe, having a loved one to stay by your side...If Chitose had all the time in the world, she’d snatch Chiyo up and go run a cafe of her own. But she knows life’s to-do list doesn’t have many boxes left for her to check.

“Hey, Chi-chan.” She whispers. Though her voice was soft, she knows Chiyo would immediately respond with her usual “What is it, Milady?”. But when no response answers her, she turns. “Chi-cha–”

No wonder. Chiyo’s head slumped over while her hands went lax around her still active phone.

“Poor girl...Tired, aren’t ya?” Chitose’s lips curve into a soft smile, and she reaches out a hand to turn off the phone, before taking Chiyo’s shoulder and gently pulling her close. As her head falls to rest on her shoulder, Chitose moves to hold Chiyo’s gloved, yet faintly warm hand in hers.

There are only so many times like these left for her. Even so, Chitose wants to treasure each and every one of them. The magician steals a glance up in the rearview mirror, and remembers the words that the young woman had told them that night.

It’s easy to pray for a miracle. A miracle that could make time stay their hand. But miracles are a fickle thing. They choose to touch some, and choose to turn their back on others. A magician is said to be able to bring about miracles with a wave of their hand, but even a magician’s sleeves can carry only so many tricks.

Chitose catches the producer’s eyes within the mirror, and their gaze flicks away. They know she doesn’t like this sort of look. Just keep driving. Just keep doing what you can.

The car hums along the road, and Chitose’s thumb strokes against the back of Chiyo’s hand.

**Author's Note:**

> It was very fun writing the interactions between these pairs...mayhaps they can be friends....


End file.
